Sometimes is Never
by Soi Fon
Summary: Yoruichi saved her from everything, including herself. But there was a reason to it. There was a reason for everything, and this reason must, at all costs, be kept from Soi Fon. Soi Fon x Yoruich - AU
1. Prologue

**Sometimes is Never**

_Prologue_

_"Life should never be like this."_

Cold, wet, and hungered, there she stood. In the middle of the street, the empty, empty street, she stood. Was there no place left to go? No, there must be a reason to keep picking up her feet and moving forward. There was...there was...nothing. Nothing could justify her existence.

She was far too young to give up in a point of depression. But maybe...no. She couldn't think of a single reason why she shouldn't just collapse right now. The impact of the hard pavement would at least provide her with _some _kind of feeling. Instead, she just stood on the paved road while the rain poured from the sky, waiting. For something. Anything.

It had been yesterday that she ran away, and it was today she didn't know where she was going. Her stolid face was impeccable, really. So stoic, so emotionless...when really, she was quite the contrary. Blinking the rain--and what she wouldn't admit was tears--out of her eyes, she heaved a great sigh. Today was Tuesday. Today was also the worst day of her life.

But, all self-pity aside, she decided to keep moving. Keep dreaming, walking, wandering. Lifting her left foot up, she stepped forward, dragging her right. As she staggered forward, she wondered where she would decide to go. There was no place for her, but maybe she could find nowhere, and maybe, just maybe, do well there.

Her left hand hung limply at her side, broken. Her walk had a limp, and she hadn't eaten for some time now. Turning around the corner, she had unknowingly wandered into an alleyway. The angle of the buildings provided a slight reprieve from the rain. Not only had she unknowingly wandered into an alleyway, but she had wandered into one inhabited by bad men. Men who were cruel, sadistic, and just plain sick.

Whistles filled the windy air, along with grumbles and hooting. "Hey baby." A shabby man approached her, his clothes tattered and his breath foul. "Hows about you get on your knees?"

Soi Fon hadn't noticed them until one spoke, being so lost in her own thoughts. When she heard his crude remark, her eyes narrowed and she glared toward him. A look of disgust filled her face as the man reached over to touch one of her braids. Before his filthy hands could taint the stark white wrappings, she slapped it away.

Surprisingly, this hadn't angered the man. In fact, the only thing this did was cause him to smirk while his mind concocted some insidious plan about God-knows-what. The other gang members shrugged from their position against the wall and walked from the shadows, into the middle of the narrow alley, surrounding her. She kept her calm. If she could deal with someone like her father, she could deal with these creeps. Shifting her stance to her uninjured leg, she raised her right arm, preparing to defend herself.

They hadn't launched forward like she expected, but instead, encircled her, and slowly inched closer to the cornered girl. "Look at dis, boss man! She tinks she gon' give us a fight!" a heavily accented man spoke. As she felt a hand grab the back of her good leg, she jumped into a spin and swung her left leg--the injured one, mind you--into the offender's chest, sending him backwards. Soi Fon cringed in pain, instantly falling to a knee at the throbbing ache.

Instantaneously, men were on her, pinning her to the ground, her back pressed against the wet ground. A fist came to the side of her head, and her vision left her, stranded in the dark. As consciousness slowly evaded her grasp, she struggled to try to hear what all the commotion was. She had felt the pressure relieved from her pinned arms and legs, and could hear the cries of men.

"Get her!!" yelled the accented man, followed by a large crunching noise as it sounded like he was slammed into the wall.

"Are you alright?" Such a velvety voice. So soft and caring, yet strong and determined. Soi Fon tried to respond, even with a simple movement to acknowledge she could hear her savior, but felt numb and broken, cold and burning, all at the same time. The last thing she felt, before that thin string of consciousness had been cut, was her body being lifted from the ground. And the last thing she heard was "You're going to be alright."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I hate writing short chapters, but it's the prologue, and introductory chapters are usually short, eh?

So there aren't too many _serious _Yoruichi/Soi Fon stories out there. Usually just humor, PWPs, etc. And it's AU, if you haven't gotten that...Just thought I'd clear that up if it wasn't clear already x.X'

Hehe. It'd be amazing if you reviewed and whatnot. I'll love you long time. Very long time.


	2. Discoveries

**Sometimes is Never**

_Discoveries_

She awoke to a blinding light, and at first, she thought she was on an examination table at a hospital. Once her senses came back to her, she glanced around the room. It was...definitely not a hospital. The events of yesterday flooded back to her, and realization set it. _I was saved_, she mused, annoyed. She didn't need saving or the pity of a savior for that matter. What she needed was to be by herself. And all this time, since she had ran away from home, she had been searching to fit in somewhere...somewhere with people, and now, the only thing she wanted was isolation.

The sound of water spraying directed her attention to the open door of her room, and her eyes locked with the closed bathroom door across the hall. She tried moving to get up and out of the almost too-comfortable bed, but found herself in paralysis. Contradicting that, she jumped slightly as the bathroom door opened.

A darkly tanned woman with purple hair walked out with a towel wrapped securely around her body, and she seemed not to notice the now-awake Soi Fon. Soi Fon tried to speak up and grab her attention, but the purple-haired woman had traveled down the hall, out of her sight before her weak voice could strain out a call. Who was this woman? Was _she _the one who saved her from those men in the alley? Unlikely. Most girls in today's world were prissy and clean-cut, the typical damsels in distress. And while she had been said damsel last night, if she hadn't have been injured, taking down those creeps would've been easy. Soi Fon was a social outcast from the girls when she had gone to school because she _liked _participating in sports. And God forbid a woman did anything physical.

So, she assumed that this woman must be the wife or sister--something--of the man who had rescued her. She waited for what seemed like an eternity before she heard a rustling from the other room. After a second, the dark woman stepped into the room. "How are you feeling?" She was dressed in pajama pants and a tank top, making Soi Fon wonder how long she'd been out.

"Fine," she lied through chattering teeth as the cold pain started setting in. Suddenly that numb feeling she'd had for so long seemed like a blessing. "Who are you?" Soi Fon's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

A small smirk played across the mysterious woman's lips. "My name is Yoruichi Shihoin." Walking over to the bed, she sat on the end and stared toward the injured girl with a penetrating gaze. "Tell me, what were you doing last night?" Only someone without a brain would travel down a dark alley ruled by ex-convicts.

Soi Fon shrugged, causing her to internally wince, and sat up with much effort. "I decided to take a short cut. What's it to you?"

The smile only widened on Yoruichi's face. This girl sure did have an attitude problem toward the one that saved her ass. "You don't remember who saved you, do you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity, but certainly not vindictively.

Ashamed, Soi Fon shook her head. "I just remember a voice." A soft, warm voice. Much like the woman in front of her had. "Who was it?" she asked, still refusing to think this woman could be her knight in shining armor.

A brief pause filled the air with an awkward--at least for Soi Fon--silence. "I'm not sure."

Soi Fon eyed her dubiously. "You're lying." When she saw the purple-haired woman's eyebrows rose, she only sent a glare in her direction. Forcing herself to move, she threw the sheets off of her body and swung her feet off the bed. Taking in a silent breath, she stood up warily, wobbling slightly. Taking a staggering step forward, feet planted as firmly on the ground as she could manage, she walked forward.

Yoruichi only watched in slight amusement. Standing up, she walked over to the door way with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm not letting you leave."

Soi Fon's eyes instantly turned to slits, and she was prepared to get past the tanned female by any means necessary. "Move."

"Hungry?" She ignored the evil glares sent her way. As if on cue, the young girl's stomach growled, causing Yoruichi to chuckle slightly. "Follow me."

She didn't want to. She wanted to leave and go back to being under the rain, where at least she could trust the fact that nobody cared. But the thought of someone actually being nice to her scared her. Still, the empty feeling in her stomach made her timidly follow the taller woman. Her eyes jumped from wall to wall as she limped through the halls of the house. It was...different. It had a modern style, but everything was off. She felt like she was in a house only inhabited by females. And that couldn't be right, because the man who saved her had to have lived here.

Sitting on the floor in front of a table, she was presented with a large cauldron-like bowl of ramen. Her eyes widened. "I can't eat all of this..." Not even five grown men could!

"Who said this was for you?" Yoruichi asked, coming out of the kitchen and placing a cereal bowl of noodles in the raven-haired girl's hands. She sat on the opposite side of the table and began stuffing down the noodles from the humongous bowl, causing Soi Fon to stare in bewilderment. She'd never seen someone eat so much. Where did she put it all? Reluctantly drawing her eyes away from the astonishing site, she glanced at her bowl of ramen and began eating. Her lips curved into a smile against her will at the warmth and taste. It felt like she hadn't eaten in days. Oh wait, she hadn't.

"You never did tell me your name."

"Soi Fon."

"Hmm, Soi Fon. So what were you doing all by yourself last night? And how did you get so many injuries?" When she had brought the girl home, she had to wrap a broken arm, leg, and treat an ungodly amount of other wounds.

"I..." Soi Fon stammered and looked to the ground, avoiding Yoruichi's piercing stare at all costs. "I'm not sure," she mocked Yoruichi's earlier lie.

Moving her large, empty bowl out of the way, she now had a better view of the now-timid girl. "If I tell you about last night, will you answer some of my questions?" Her face was expressionless, as if the answer didn't matter, but her tone seemed otherwise. At the sight of Soi Fon's head nodding, she sighed. "I'd just gotten off of work when I'd heard those idiots around the corner. I planned to keep on walking, but when I was close enough to see into the alley, I saw you surrounded by them." She paused, as if carefully choosing her next words. "You were...planning on fighting them, which surprised me. I saw you get a good kick in, at the expense of injuring yourself further. So, I decided to step in." She could see the disbelieving eyes in the girl across from her. "They all went down pretty easy, and then you seemed to have already lost consciousness. So, I brought you back here, treated your wounds, and now here we are."

Despite the skepticism she held, she couldn't bring herself to call the woman a liar. "How could you so easily take them?"

A smile widened across Yoruichi's face. "I'm a good fighter." Her smile made Soi Fon feel like Yoruichi was remembering some inside joke. "Now, no more questions. It's my turn. First off, how old are you?"

"Seventeen." She'd be eighteen in a few weeks.

Yoruichi was slightly surprised. She had thought her to be younger. When she saw the girl's questioning stare, she smiled weakly. "Nineteen," she replied to the unspoken question. "Now, why were you out like that? Shouldn't you of been at home?"

"I don't have a home," Soi Fon bit out angrily.

"And why is that?"

It took a minute for her to respond. "I ran away."

Yoruichi's eyes were dull, as if unamused. "Explain." Not another 'my parents don't understand me so I decided to leave!' story, she hoped.

"My father...was...bad." She struggled with the words, not only because she didn't want to admit the truth, but because she didn't want her pity. She sighed at Yoruichi's probing expression, knowing she was expected to continue. She laughed a short, empty laugh. "I didn't break my arm and leg by falling," she grinned.

Yoruichi stared forward, her expression still vacant. How could she joke about being beaten? "What did he do?"

Soi Fon's grin immediately faded and she looked away, not wanting to answer. "Look, uhm, thanks for, you know...the food and everything. But I really should be going--"

"Where, home? Where do you plan to go?" Her questions were spoke as statements.

The pale girl involuntarily cringed. "No. Just away."

"Hm. I saved your life. The least you could do is take my advice."

"And what would that be?"

"Stay here until you're healed."

"No thanks."

Yoruich's jaw tightened. "I wasn't asking you. It's either that or I take you to a hospital."

A shudder rippled through her spine at the thought. "So, you're saying you refuse to let me go?" she challenged and stood up, hiding the pang of pain that struck her leg.

Yoruichi followed suit and walked around the table. "Do you plan to do something about it?" Once again, her question was not an inquiry, but more like a command.

Soi Fon's teeth rubbed together, grinding in irritation as her hands balled up into tight fists. A sudden head rush made her vision fill with a black blanket, and before she knew it, she fell backwards.

Yoruichi's arm jerked out and caught her by the front of her shirt, lifting her limp body up. Slinging the girl's arm over the back of her shoulders, she helped the weakened girl walk back toward the room. How did she plan to leave if she couldn't even walk?

As soon as Soi Fon felt her body hit the soft bed, sleep consumed her. Yoruichi stared down at the younger girl with her arms crossed over her chest, yet another stolid expression on her face. This girl...she was...different.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Alright, well I know this chapter had a different style than the prologue. This chapter and probably the next one or two will be slightly more casual, and not so dark/deep.

This chapter didn't meet my expectations, and I was a little angry how it turned out. My entire point wasn't made, but I didn't want to prolong the chapter and drag things out. So, I'll save it for the next chapter.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you all have no idea how much support and inspiration it gives me to continue. I'd love you all very much if you left me some feedback again.


	3. Intrusion

**Sometimes is Never**

_Intrusion_

Soi Fon's eyes jerked open at the sound of rattling in the other room. It sounded like pots and pans being shifted around, and she assumed Yoruichi was digging for food. With an appetite like hers, Soi Fon wouldn't be the least bit surprised if she was eating at an hour like this.

However, as her door opened and someone quickly slipped into her room, she wondered who could still be making that noise...a guest, perhaps? She was about to ask Yoruichi, but was stopped short.

The dark woman put a finger to her lips with a nonchalant expression, her eyes cold. Realization soon hit the sleepy girl. _A burglar_. Throwing the covers off of her body, she scooted to the side of the bed, but the older woman only shook her head. Yoruichi reached behind her and pulled out a dagger-like knife, and then handed it to Soi Fon. "Do not leave this room." Her voice was so soft; it was would've been nearly inaudible had it not been for the sternness giving her tone strength. She made an odd hand gesture that told Soi Fon she would be back.

The purple-haired woman slipped out of the door, much to Soi Fon's silent protest. She stealthily crept along the shadows, and into the living room. Pulling another dagger from her back pocket, she silently walked up to the intruder's back. Flinging the knife gracefully at her target, she soon afterward jumped to the side a few feet as the man whipped around and reflected the weapon with his own.

The two stared at each other intently, tracing a circle as they moved to the side, preparing for their opponent's attack. The man stood around six foot even, with a normal build. His blond hair poked from under a green and white striped hat. "Ah, Yoruichi. Didn't know this was yours," replied the man casually.

"Just moved," she replied playfully, still on guard.

"So, how's life?"

"Come on. I know you didn't come here for small talk. What are you after?" she asked, knowing full well the answer to her question.

A smug expression lay on the offender's face as he stared back at the shorter girl. "You're right. The chance for small talk ended the day you left. Where is she?"

Yoruichi's eyes reflexively glanced down the hall to the guest room and back.

The man's eyes followed, and then shifted slowly back to her. "Ah." Without a moment's notice, the pale figure dashed down the hall, Yoruichi following him instantly.

"Stop, Kisuke!" Yoruichi seethed and dove in the air, aiming to land on his back. As he moved swiftly to dodge her, she landed on the balls of her feet. She now stood protectively in front of Soi Fon's room, the man staring back at her.

"The tone in your voice serves as a confirmation. I'll take my leave, then." And with that, the man she referred to as Kisuke left in a flash.

Piercing eyes stared at the empty space in front of her. After a moment, she slipped into the door behind her, only to be met by the shorter girl sitting up on her bed, glaring in her direction. "That was no burglar."

Yoruichi smiled at her tone, which seemed like it had stressed anger inside of it. "No."

A silence stood between the two, and finally Soi Fon spoke up. "You're not going to explain?"

The taller woman walked over and sat on the edge of the bed next to Soi Fon. "No," she simply replied. She could see the disapproving look in the other girl's eyes, but knew she wouldn't put up her usual stubborn fight. "Get some sleep. I have a friend coming to look at your leg and arm in the morning..." She paused, remembering something. "Try not to give him too much of a hassle."

Soi Fon raised an eyebrow at this, dubious.

Without saying anything else, the taller woman left the room.

* * *

Soi Fon woke up, seeing the sunlight even through her eyelids. She opened her eyes, only to snap them shut in a squint of pain the rays gave her. It took her a moment to realize someone was sitting on the edge of her bed. Allowing her eyes to adjust, she slowly opened them. "Who are you?" The grogginess in her voice didn't do too well to display her usual attitude.

"My name is Hanatarou," the bashful young man replied timidly. "I, uhm, Miss Yoruichi asked me to tend to your leg and see what was wrong with it."

Miss? What was he, seven? Soi Fon's eyes narrowed. Even though she was sure this little brat wouldn't have dared to do anything wrong, it still irked her that she had been looked at without knowing it. "And?" she asked expectantly.

"It's not broken, but you _really _should do to a hos-"

"I am _not _going to a hospital," she bit out.

He flinched, and looked down, avoiding her eyes. Finally, he stood up and fhurriedly walked over to the wall. "Uhm, you're going to need to use these." He held out crutches.

Hell no.

Hell nooo.

"I'm not using those."

"B-But you have to! If you keep walking on your leg, you'll never heal!"

"I'm. Not. Using. Those." Her eyes narrowed to show there were no ifs, ands, or buts.

A sigh came from his lips and he pulled out a cell phone. "Uhm, Miss Yoruichi?...You were right...She won't use them...Yes, okay." He hung up the phone and met a curious glare from Soi Fon. He bowed shyly. "Miss Yoruichi will be here soon." With that, he left, almost too quickly.

Soi Fon laid back down on her bed and stared at the ceiling. She then shot up to a sit with a realization. _I can leave now_, she mused. Before she could even move another inch, she heard the front door open. Sighing dramatically, she waited for the woman.

Yoruichi stepped in, not even greeting the young woman. Walking over to the wall, she picked up the crutches and brought them over to the bed. "You will use these. You will not go anywhere from this bed without them. Understood?"

"No," she spat stubbornly. Walking around like a helpless cripple? That wasn't quite her style.

A smirk played across Yoruichi's lips. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a key on a keyring and twirled it around her finger. "If I have to resort to drastic measures," oh such as locking her in the room, "I will."

Soi Fon's eyes turned to slits in irritation. She stood up and snatched the crutches. Positioning them under her arms, she tested it out. "How long?"

"Until you heal. Hanatarou informed me you should be able to walk on it without crutches in a week." Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she mentally sighed. "Don't do anything stupid." Turning for the door, she stopped mid-step. Deciding against what she was going to say, she then left the room, leaving Soi Fon to herself.

Contrarily to Yoruichi's earlier warning, Soi Fon would do something stupid. It was time for an ingenious escape plan. Unfortunately for her, she didn't know just how dangerous the outside world was for her right about now.

* * *

A week had passed since Soi Fon received the crutches. No escape plan had worked, seeing as Yoruichi locked up every possible exit. She now sat discontentedly on her bed, allowing herself to become lost in her own thoughts. Why was she here? Why was this strange woman taking care of her? Surely no one was so pure-hearted that they took in someone from the street without hesitation.

And it wasn't that she didn't enjoy Yoruichi's company. In fact, she found herself looking up to her. The purple-haired girl held her head high with confidence. She was strong, determined, and possibly even more stubborn than Soi Fon herself.

But she didn't trust the lady. Soi Fon had decided to bombard Yoruichi with a bunch of questions when she got home from...wherever it was she went in the days. Did she work? Probably...but where? And what was with that intruder last week? Why was Yoruichi treating her so casually...? There was something up.

The sound of a door squeaking open made her snap out of her reverie. Standing up, she ignored the crutches at her bedside--after all, Hanatarou said she only had to use them for a week. Walking out of the room, she put on her best nonchalant expression. She had been thinking up what she was about to say all day. "So, it's been a week."

"Yes." Yoruichi set her things down and turned her attention to Soi Fon with curiously raised eyebrows.

"My leg is well enough that I don't need to go to a hospital."

"Yes."

"So...I'll be leaving now." Soi Fon flinched at the looked she received.

Yoruichi narrowed her eyes, shooting a glare, but quickly regained her composure. "Well, I guess you're free to leave then," she sighed, her eyes downcast.

"R-Right," she stammered. She walked toward the front door, a slight limp still in her step. Her hand met the cold handle, and she froze. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw Yoruichi standing in the same place, her back to her.

"Tell me,"

Soi Fon's eyes widened as she listened intently.

"Where do you plan to go?"

She was sure she'd already been asked this question. "I'll find somewhere."

"Listen, will you just stay here, for me?"

"For...you?" She raised a brow and hesitated in her answer. "Why?" Her tone sounded almost disgusted.

"You don't know what kind of a world it is out there."

"I do."

Yoruichi turned around at that. "Listen, I have a few days off from work. If I answer some of your questions," because she knew she had to have some, "will you stay for a little while longer?"

Soi Fon couldn't help but get the feeling there was another reason she wanted her to stay - like it was her job. She glared suspiciously at her. "You have to answer every single question."

"Of course." Yoruichi smirked in acknowledgment. Behind her back, she held two crossed fingers.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Okay. I expect this chapter may cause a little bit of dislike from some of you. Namely me using Kisuke Urahara the way I did. All I have to say to this is that he was the best candidate for this role in the plot, and I'm sorry if this angle portrayed him as OOC.

Other than that, I liked this chapter. Sort of - I kind of rushed since I don't have internet right now and had a time limit. It was a step in the plot, but just know that the next two chapters will most likely be regular ones, to help with character and relationship development.

I know, I know, I'm almost done with this note. I'd like to thank everyone who reads and reviews this story. Especially those who tell me their input, ideas, and corrections. You all make my day!


	4. But Someone is Never Anyone

**Sometimes is Never**

_But Someone is Never Anyone_

Soi Fon laid in her bed, curled into a limp ball. The darkness of the sheets englufed her vision. She had had so many questions she wanted to ask Yoruichi, but now...now that she thought about it--that she really thought about it--it didn't really matter. Who was she to question the happenings of Fate? It never liked her in the first place, anyway. Maybe she was just meant to live a lonely life. Maybe everything that happened to her was for a reason. To show her that no one would be there for her.

_"Soi Fon, you stupid girl! Get over here right now!" Her father's muscles bulgded from every inch of skin, veins dancing and throbbing along them like vines._

_Soi Fon glared at him through one eye, her other one too swelled up to see through. She said nothing, but let her raging and seething anger seep out and speak for her._

_The tall, burly man walked forward. "Stupid, rebellious girl. You know what happens now, don't you?"_

Soi Fon's eyes narrowed at the mere memory of it. She thought that, if she weren't under blankets, she'd only see red right now. The red of blood, of roses, of hearts broken.

_She managed to get some punches in, but was inaurguably on the weaker side. Scrapes, cuts, broken bones. She was used to it, but no more would she endure it. Storming out the door of her house, she heard a faint 'good riddance!' from her father. Was it raining? She couldn't tell._

Soi Fon tried to find some meaning--any meaning--of life. Was there a reason to keep going? Why should she ever get up from this bed? Why should she care about what would happen next? It's not like anyone was there for her. It's not like anyone cared. No, she had herself, and if that's all she had to live for, then what was the true value of life? Her own existence cancelled out the reason of it, so what other reason was there? Who was there? No one.

And suddenly, the darkness went away, and light swept over her tear-stained cheeks. "It's two in the afternoon, you are _not _wasting the day away in bed." Yoruichi seemed to ignore the deer-in-headlights expression Soi Fon gave her, along with the tear streaks. "Come on, we're going out today."

Maybe, just maybe...

Soi Fon's gaze averted to the side, ashamed Yoruichi caught her crying, but was thankful she showed no attention to it. She nodded with a weak smile and hopped out of bed, quickly wiping her face. "But where?"

"You'll see." Yoruichi smiled so widely that her eyes closed lightly. She grabbed Soi Fon's wrist and drug her out of the room. "Do you have your driver's liscense yet?"

"Err, I can drive," she substituted.

"That's not what I asked." Yoruichi raised an eyebrow at her.

"See, the people at the liscense place and I had a minor altercation." When she saw Yoruichi's quizzical stare, she sighed. "Forget it. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing." She still tugged on her arm and pulled her out of the house.

Soi Fon hadn't realized that it had been over a week since she was outside. It felt nice. Once they rounded the corner, Soi Fon tried to guess where they were going. If they were walking, it couldn't be too far away, could it? "Uhm...park?"

"No."

"Bowling?"

"No."

"Eating?"

"No... On second thought, I am kind of hungry."

Soi Fon rolled her eyes. "When aren't you?"

Yoruichi flashed her a grin. After a few blocks of walking, she stopped in front of an entance gate with a sign that read 'Motor World' on it. Soi Fon didn't understand at first, but once she stepped inside, her eyes widened in realization. "_Go Karts?_" she seethed.

"What else did you expect?" Yoruichi walked over to the ticket booth and bought an entire roll. She tossed them to Soi Fon carelessly and began walking. Soi Fon followed, as if a magnetic pull surrounded her. When they stopped, Soi Fon glanced around nervously. As they waited in line, she tapped her foot in axiety. Motor FREAKING World?! Seriously? "Why are you so uptight?" the tanned woman asked.

"What purpose does this serve?"

"Does everything have to have a purpose for you? Or is 'fun' a reasonable purpose?"

Soi Fon said nothing, and instead sulked until they reached the gate. When the monitor opened it, she walked through, grabbed a helmet, and then hopped in the duo car. She took the passenger seat, not really interested in driving it.

Yoruichi sat next to her and placed her hands on the wheel. She revved up the small engine, and when the green light lit up, she floored it. The car sped forward so fast that Soi Fon found it difficult to lift her head from the seat. "Sl-Slow down!"

Yoruichi laughed as she increased the speed. The turn started nearing, and she glanced over to see Soi Fon's skeptical and worried face. At the last second, she jerked the wheel to the side, and the car whipped around the bend.

By the end of the lap, Soi Fon sat rigid in her seat. When she felt that she could hold in her stomach's contents while speaking, she glared at Yoruichi. "The speed limit sign said 80!" She paused and took in a deep breath. "You went twice that!"

"Yeah, but I know the owner of this place. We're cool." Yoruichi got out and went around to the other side. "Now, you try."

Soi Fon hesitated at first, but when she thought of Yoruichi driving instead, she gladly got into the driver's seat. When the two buckled in, she took in a deep breath and pressed the gas pedal lightly, causing the car to jet forward. Soi Fon panicked, and in turn pressed down harder, causing the speed to go above 120. Her eyes widened, unblinking, as she stared forward. "We're not gonna make it!" she screamed as the corner came into view. There was no way she could turn a car around such a sharp corner at this speed. She looked over to Yoruichi to see if she'd help, but she only laid against the seat casually, her arms pillowing her head while she smiled faintly. Soi Fon growled and focused her attention on the road. When she passed the curb, she jerked the wheel, and the car turned around with precision.

"Go again if you'd like," Yoruichi said calmly, still relaxed in her seat.

Soi Fon nodded. She didn't know why, but the adrenaline rush was almost like a new high for her. The thrill of the speed caused her to forget anything bad that had ever happened, and the only ones left in the world were here, the go kart, and Yoruichi. When she passed the finish line, she turned to go again, this time faster.

Yoruichi's eyes shifted over to Soi Fon as they entered the eighth lap. She smiled smugly, knowing her objective of the day was accomplished. "Stop after this one; we'll go eat."

Soi Fon nodded and slammed on the brakes, creating a skid mark along the road. When the car jolted to a stop, she took off her helmet and smiled to herself. She had to hand it to Yoruichi - this wasn't _so _bad.

* * *

The two walked into the small restaurant the Motor World offered and ordered some food. They went outside and sat down on one of the benches. For the first part of the meal, it had been quiet. "Don't you have questions for me?" Yoruichi asked, breaking said silence.

Soi Fon took a good moment to prepare her answer. "I don't know why, but...I don't feel the need to ask them anymore."

"Good, that was the drug's purpose."

"THE WHAT?!"

"Kidding, kidding!" Yoruichi downed her fifth whatever-that-was-she-was-eating and smiled goofily.

Soi Fon sighed and finished her first. She glanced up from under her eyelashes to Yoruichi, staring at her curiously for a moment.

Maybe, just maybe...

She wasn't alone.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Merry Christmahaunakwanzaka! Hope you all enjoy the holidays!

Much Love,

Ami


	5. Uncovering the Truth

**Sometimes is Never**

_Uncovering the Truth_

Soi Fon drew in a silent breath. She'd been here for too long, gotten to close. She'd actually made friends with Yoruichi. Her emotions flickered like a flame, and she went back and forth between loving the feeling of being accepted and hated it. But she had finally decided─her life was destined to be spent in isolation. There was no room for friends or family. So, her jaw set, and she walked down the hall of the oddly fashioned house.

She'd never been in Yoruichi's room, and quite frankly never thought about looking inside of it. But if she were going to find answers, she had to look for them. Yoruichi had offered, a week ago at the Motor World, to answer her questions, but… At the time, she hadn't wanted to ask them. She changed her mind. But even if she had asked them, she was almost positive the chance of getting straightforward, truthful answers would be close to zero.

Yoruichi was at work and wouldn't get off for a few hours. So she had time. The creak of the purple-haired woman's door seemed all too loud, but she ignored it. She went in and looked around, standing in the middle of the room. The walls were an off-white color, with an abstract portrait or a cat on the wall. There were two dressers, plain and oak-based. The bed had a purple bedspread over it, with millions of throw pillows scattered on it. It was clean…too clean.

Soi Fon walked over to the first dresser and opened the top drawer. There were bras, underwear, and socks stuffed neatly inside. She slid open the second one below it. Pants. Third - shirts. And the bottom one held accessories like bracelets, earrings, and other jewelries that she never saw Yoruichi wear. Closing the drawers, Soi Fon walked over to the second dresser.

She opened the top drawer and found stacks and stacks of manila folders, letters, and files. They all had names and dates and pictures sticking out of them. But the thing that caught Soi Fon's eye was her own name on one of them. She slipped out the folder and flipped it open, scanning over the documents. Her eyes widened.

Her picture was paper clipped to the files, and she plucked it off. "Soi Fon, age 17, attends Shibuya High. Mother: unknown. Father: Haji F., of the Fon family." She read the description of her father. "Wanted felon and spy by nearly all eighteen agencies." She paused. "But why does she have this? She's keeping me here because my relation to my father…why? If they're planning to use me as a bargaining chip…"

"It won't work. We know."

Soi Fon spun around, dropping the file in the process. "Y-Yoruichi! I…" Her 'hand caught in the cookie jar' face turned into an angry one. "What is all this?!" She picked up the file. "I demand to know what this is all about? You're after my father?"

Yoruichi walked over to Soi Fon and picked up the discarded picture of the younger girl. "This is a nice picture you know." It was a full profile with Soi Fon standing by a wilting tree. She sighed. "I thought you didn't want answers."

"I changed my mind."

Yoruichi smiled patronizingly. "Your father has always managed to escape our radar. We didn't learn of his daughter, since you two have different last names, until recently. We knew of his tactics and personality - any child of his would not be a happy one, especially female. So I was assigned to look for you for two reasons."

"But you said you happened to find me…"

"I did that night. I got lucky." She held Soi Fon's gaze steadily. "I had spent all day looking for you. I'd went to your house, but of course your father had left without a trace once we found his residence. I only missed him by a few hours." She grabbed the file from Soi Fon's hands and put it back in her drawer. "I'm a member of a group called the Royal Guard. We needed you, one, to protect you, because once your father finds out you are the one with the password to his newly changed database system, he'll come after you. And that's the second reason we needed you - you know the password."

"What?" she bit. "What database system? What password?" Soi Fon was getting agitated…

"Your father has a system that allows him to hack into any database in the world. We can track where he hacks, but not where he hacks from. And we can also detect changes in his programming, which requires a password update. A month ago, he was spotted in San Ryo, which at the time had endured a blackout. There was no way he could have accessed his database. But during that time, the programming changed. Because _you _changed it."

It would've been too much for anyone to take in all at once, so quickly, but somehow the younger girl understood it all. But there were a few missing factors. "Why does it have to be me? It could have been anyone! I've never seen this machine in my life."

"That is possible. But the fact still remains that you are the most likely candidate for who changed it. And anyone who gets their hands on that password can create a lot of damage, even more than your father has been building up to." She smirked. "Know that 'burglar' that was here before?" When Soi Fon nodded, she continued. "His name is Kisuke Urahara, and he works for the Intelligence Agency of Japan. I used to be his partner in that agency."

Soi Fon could see the hint of nostalgia in Yoruichi's eyes. "Why did you move?"

"That's not important. But what is important is that you know what he's capable of." Sitting on her bed, she patted the spot next to her. "In a fight, I'm not sure if I could beat him. And he's even more sneakier than I am. He got passed the guards outside and into this place with ease. The only way I knew he was here was because he _let _me. He made deliberate noises, toying with me." Yoruichi started speaking to herself in anger.

Soi Fon growled. "So what? I'm supposed to live the rest of my life in fear, protected by some agency I know nothing about while they try to defend me against my father and other agencies? Sorry, but I'm not the damsel-in-distress type of girl." She stood up and walked out of the door, heading back to her room.

"There are two gunman outside of the front door. You really don't have a choice."

Soi Fon ground her teeth together and snapped her body to face the taller woman. "You can't keep me here forever!"

"No, just until we find your father and his database."

Soi Fon balled her fist up in anger, but then instantaneously relaxed. Her face was void of emotion. "I give up," she sighed. "I'll stay." _Until tonight, when I sneak out._

Yoruichi smiled. "You should cheer up. Living with me isn't as bad as you think. And…" She sucked in a breath. "I'm glad you want to stay."

Soi Fon's eyes widened. The sadness and joy mixed in Yoruichi's eyes…it was something she'd never seen from her before. The look in her eyes made Soi Fon's heart contract in her chest, making it painful to think, to breathe.

"_Mom, I'm never going to get married."_

"_Why is that, Soi Fon?"_

"_Because men are idiots!"_

"_Oh, Soi Fon, you shouldn't say that."_

"_Daddy's an idiot, too…"_

"_Shh! Soi Fon, you must watch what you say out loud…" Her mother smiled. "You'll find someone one day. Someone better."_

_Her father walked in. "She'll never find anyone. No one's gonna love her. Hell, I dunno why _you_ do, Mai."_

Soi Fons eyes narrowed. She had been her mother's crying shoulder. She had been the comforter. She had protected her mom and herself. It felt good to protect rather than being protected. And Yoruichi…she was strong, but… _I can protect Yoruichi… I will be there for her. _She smiled faintly toward Yoruichi. "Yeah."

Yoruichi walked over to Soi Fon and slung her arm around the back of her shoulders. "Soi Fon, I bet you haven't been to a nice restaurant before, have you?"

"Uhm…"

"Then let's go." She dragged her out the door, past the two gunman, and out of the complex. She was Soi Fon's personal protector, and it felt good to be needed.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Bleh. I hated this chapter. I only wrote it because I felt bad for not updating for so long… I'd wanted to take longer. I wanted to wait a few more months until I planned everything out and found my muse, but I didn't want to wait that long.

So tell me watcha think ;p Storyline too far-fetched, or just right?


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